This invention relates to holster, and more particularly to a device for carrying a firearm in a holster supported on the upper body in a concealed manner.
Law enforcement officers are often required to carry a firearm concealed under a jacket or coat. In the past, it has been common for law enforcement officers to carry a shoulder holster supported from a harness having a strap that encircles each shoulder and extends across the neck. The strap over the shoulders that holds the holster can be made from leather and the other strap portion of the harness can be an elastic strap. The holster is attached to or suspended from the leather shoulder straps. The strap that extends across the back is fastened to a buckle or the like to adjust the length of the strap so the harness makes a tight fit around the upper body for holding the holster in a reasonably fixed position.
These prior art shoulder holsters suffer from a number of disadvantages. They are uncomfortable because of pressure points caused by the straps of the harness being adjusted tightly around the upper body to hold the holster in place. The shoulder straps usually fit tightly under the arm, which can be particularly uncomfortable. These harness-type shoulder holsters do not easily conceal the weapon because the harness creates noticeable bulges or lumps under a jacket or coat. The jacket or coat also is not freely movable on the upper body, but can snag on various parts of the shoulder holster or harness. Further, when the officer reaches across his body to draw the firearm from the holster, the holster tends to back up, owing to the tight fit of the harness, which transfers the officer's movements to the holster, tending to move the holster.
The present invention provides a vest-type shoulder holster which overcomes these disadvantages and provides additional advantages over prior art shoulder holsters.